Friday, September 26, 2014

The biggest attractions of living in Hawaii for us are the bright sunlight and
warmth which uplift our spirits and take away our aches and pains. Since Hawaii is south of the Tropic of Cancer and
the southernmost location in the US, it gets more direct sunlight and electromagnetic radiation than anywhere in the United States. Exposure to sunlight, both the visible and ultraviolet components, has been found to improve
health, happiness, and lower the chances of getting many diseases.

After spending
time in Hawaii’s sun, aches and joint pains begin to subside. Every
winter, we talk to visitors and part time residents from cold latitudes blissfully
bathing in the sunlight excitedly showing us the movement in their previously
immobile joints and pointing to places that use to hurt.

Regular exposure to sunlight
has been shown to reduce the risk of getting rheumatoid arthritis. A
study
published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases showed that women
with the highest levels of sunlight exposure were 21% less likely to develop
rheumatoid arthritis than those with the least exposure. This research
agrees with other studies that have linked subjects’ location and their risk of
rheumatoid arthritis as well as other autoimmune diseases such as type 1
diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and multiple sclerosis. More exposure
to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlight based on a location’s latitude,
altitude and cloud cover is associated with a reduced risk of developing
autoimmune diseases.

Just last year, Dr. Han van
der Rhee published a review of research on the preventive effects of sunlight on cancer. His findings were that chronic, not occasional, sun exposure
is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate
cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

The eye is very sensitive to the blue color, which is more prevalent in the morning and a delight
on walks along the turquoise bays in Hawaii. Blue light, a component of
sunlight, causes the brain to wake up, increases alertness, and boosts concentration.
Researchers at the University of Greenwich showed that blue light made people happier, more
alert, and more productive.The blue spectrum declines the most in the
winter compared to other components of visible light, but in Hawaii we do not lose the blue
spectrum of light in the winter.

Recent
research at
Harvard Medical School has shown that consistent exposure to ultraviolet light
raises levels of beta-endorphin, a natural opiate, in mice. Previous
studies have found that the administration of an opioid blocker produced
withdrawal-like symptoms in frequent tanners. sunlight may be
one of the reasons that residents in Hawaii rank as the happiest in the
country.

Every
time we are outside under the Hawaiian sun we feel rejuvenated. Now we know
why.

Monday, September 15, 2014

Hawaiicon brought science fiction lovers to the Kohala Coast on Hawaii Island this past weekend. Unlike
conventions we have attended in the past with long lines, unhelpful volunteers,
and stuffy conference centers; HawaiiCon was in a spectacular location at the Hapuna Beach Hotel with
everyone we saw laughing and talking excitedly. Adding to the fun was that many
attendees dressed as science fiction characters, super heroes, anime characters,
and more. Nearby were stunning views of the ocean with plenty of places
to sit and enjoy the ocean breeze.

HawaiiCon at the Hapuna Beach Hotel

The
convention was organized by local residents, GB Hajim a movie writer, director
and producer, Jacqueline Seaquist , Artistic Director and Program
Coordinator of the Performing Arts Learning Center at Hilo High School, David
Steiner, owner of Hawaii White Mountain LLC coffee company, and Jessica
Hall, a broker with Hawaii Life Real Estate. They created “the
world’s first sci-fi, science, and fantasy tropical vacation convention”.

Busy Front Desk at HawaiiCon

The
convention founders partially funded the event by having a very successful
Kickstarter campaign last year. They received almost double the
amount of money they requested from 199 science fiction fans from around the
world.

Cosplay at HawaiiCon

The
three day event featured panels of scientists, sci-fi writers,
actors, and artists,
workshops, autograph sessions, costume contests, and evening galas.
Visiting actors from Star Trek, Stargate Atlantis, Battlestar Galactic,
Babylon 5, Game of Thrones, costume designers, graphic novelists, cartoonists,
astronomers, writers and producers gave workshops, sat on panel, signed
autographs, and tweeted about the fun and sun on Hawaii Island. The
conference combined astronomers from Hawaii Island’s international telescopes into
the program with comics, cosplay, and gaming.

We
are excited about events like HawaiiCon because they draw people to Hawaii
Island who may never otherwise visit. Once here, they get to experience
the uniqueness and beauty of Hawaii Island and all that it has to offer.

We
look are already looking forward to the next HawaiiCon science fiction convention from September
10 to 13, 2015.

Friday, September 5, 2014

Since
moving to Hawaii Island we have moved three times to experience different
communities and climates on the island. Having lived in many types of
houses and condo rentals, we often think about home design changes that
would make our life easier and more healthy. Some things we have installed
ourselves, but others require major changes to a house design. Here are some home
design ideas that we wish were standard:

Situated to maximize the amount of early morning light that floods into the bedrooms;

No granite or other sources of uranium in the house - granite in counter tops, floors and molding have uranium that decays to radon. Other non-radon producing surfaces like marble, stainless steel or tile are healthier;

Designed for robots to constantly clean, with no steps up and down through the house and all the plugs required so the robots have power and unobstructed movement;

Maximized for air flow through the house so mold and mildew cannot flourish and humidity is lowered so tropical
bugs will stay away;

Automated humidity control to maintain moisture and keep it at the ideal level for health and to minimize molds;

Easy access to AC air filters and smoke detectors so they can be frequently changed;

Built in security cameras for discreet monitoring of the outside perimeter;

Back up lighting installed for safety in the event of power outages;

Built in water purification with easy access to change the filters;

Backup power systems for electric and an easy switch between primary electric power and backup power.